Apparatus for making a limitedstretch bulked yarn



Oct. 4, 1966 c. w. KIM 3,276,937

APPARATUS FOR MAKING A LIMITED-STRETCH BULKED YARN Filed Nov. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5y O//f A TTG/@NH C. W. KIM

APPARATUS FOR MAKING A LIMITED-STRETCH BULKED YARN Filed NOV. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BONOED AREA 3,276,937 APPARATUS FOR MAKING A LIMITED- STRETCH BULKED YARN Charles W.KimWilmington,Del., assignor to Joseph Bancroft & Sons Co., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Y Filed Nov. 16, 1961, Ser. No.'152,835 8 Claims. (Cl. 156-441) This invention relates to the production of a bulked, limited stretch yarn and has for an object to .provide a novel and improved method and apparatus for making such a yarn.

More specifically the invention relates to a continuous iilament yarn which has been bulked by any well known process as by the use of a stuifer crimper and provides means for imparting limited stretch characteristics to such a yarn. n

In accordance with the invention the bulked yarn is rst spread out or attened so that all bers lie in substantially the vsaine plane and the attened yarn `is then passed through a stage wherein the crossed bers are joined along one, or more longitudinal stripes. The yarn is then twisted as in a Iring twister so that the longitudinal unwound from a cop 11 or the like through a tension deing on all sides to form a limited stretch, -bulked product. The bonding of the fibers at the points of cross-over imparts dimensional stability without decreasing the bulk or softness of the yarn.

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which certain specific embodiments have been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section illustrating one type of apparatus for carrying out the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 but on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 1 illustrating an embodiment for forming a pair of bonded longitudinal stripes;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial elevation similar to FIG. 4 illustrating a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the use of a nozzle for effecting the bonding;

FIG. S is a detail of the product of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 6 before twisting;

FIG. 9 is a similar view of the product yafter twisting; and

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 illustrating the product of the apparatus of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the invention is shown in FIGS. l to 3 as embodied in an apparatus wherein yarn 10 which has been previously crimped is unwound from a cop 11 or the like through a tension device `12 and is passed over guide rollers 13 through a heated tube 14 wherein the yarn is relaxed to 'restore the crimp as indicated at 15. If the yarn has not been stored in cop form a sucient length of time to impart a temporary straight set the step of relaxing may be unnecessary. However for yarn such as nylon which has been crimped in a stutter crimper, set and wound onto a cop under straightening tension it has been found that the crimp is restored by relaxing under heat while in a tensionless state.

The yarn with the crimp restored is passed onto a :roll 21 which may be a silicone rubber roll. The roll 21 is driven by suitable means not shown at a rate such that "ice the yarn remains tensionless after passing from the heating. tube 14 and is' attened and spread out in a transverse layer by a fabric shield 22 composed for example of spun .glass and having a liner 23 of a heat resistant low friction material such as be heated electrically as by leads 26 extends over the-fabric shield-22 and is held against the fabric by a weight 25.- In this way heat is lapplied to a longitudinal stripe centrally of the flattened yarn on the roll 21 through the fabric shield 22 and liner 23. This heat is adapted to bind the fibers at points of cross-over along a stripe 27 as shown'in FIG. 8.

From the roll 21 the yarn passes over a guide roll 31 and down through an eye 32 to a ring twister 33 of the usual type which is adapted to impart a twist to the yarn as it is wound on a spindle 34. The twisted yarn is shown in FIG. 9 wherein the bonded stripe 27 is disposed centrally as a core from which the unbonded bers extend to form a uniformly bulked product. Y

The embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 is adapted to form. a pair of spaced bon-ded stripes 40 along the yarn as shown in FIGS. 4 and 10. In this form the roll 21 is similar to the roll 21 Vof FIGS. 1 to 3. The heating is accomplished by a heating roll 41 mounted on a spindle 42 and provided with a heat source shown as a resistance rod 44 mounted within the spindle. The roll 41 carries a pair of annu-lar ilanges 45 having narrow peripheral edges which are adapted to contact the yarn as it passes over the roll 21 and apply heat to the two spaced stripes 40 for bonding the same. A yarn attening shoe 46 is disposed over the roll 21 in advance of the bite of the tlanges 45. The remainder of the apparatus is similar to that above described.

The yarn having the two stripes may be twisted to form a yarn having bonded stripes on two opposite sides with the remainder of the bers extended to for-m a bulked yarn.

A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 6 wherein the roll 49 is similar to the roll 41 of FIG. 4 but has a single annular ange 50 adapted to engage the yarn along a central longitudinal stripe for forming a yarn similar to that of FIG. 8.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7 the roll 21 is similar to the roll 21 above described. In this case a cover shield 51 carries a nozzle 52 which is `adapted to direct a jet of liquid or gas onto the flattened yarn along a predetermined stripe or stripes. The jets may lcomprise hot air for heating the fibers to bonding temperature or a bonding liquid for bonding the fibers at the point of cross-over.

The flanges 45 and 50 may be patterned or the jets issuing from the nozzle 52 may be varied in Ia predetermined sequence so as to cause the bonded stripe or stripes to be interrupted at intervals to produce a novelty yarn having variations in stretch characteristics and in bulk along its length. In some instances the crossovers may be Ibonded at spaced points only. In this way the stretch characteristics of the product may be limited to a predetermined value or the yarn may be caused to have nonstretch characteristics as desired. The invention may be applied to yarns having various types `of crimp, such for example -as crimps formed in a stutter crimper, or by false twisting, or by means of an air jet, or in various other ways known in the art. The invention is particularly applicable to iibers formed of thermoplastic materials which can be heat softened for effecting the bonding, but may be applied to other types of fibers which may be bonded under the influence of heat and pressure, or by the use of a bonding liquid as above described. In some instances the yarns may be spun from staple ibers which have been previously crimped and treated to eifect bonding as set forth herein.

Teflon.4 A wire 24 which may 3 Various other embodiments will be son skilled in the What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for making aVv limited stretch, bulked yarn from a multililament yarn composed of crimped continuous filaments which comprises a roll disposed to feed apparent to a persaid yarn through a bonding station, pressure means en-' gaging the yarn on said roll and adapted to cause the yarn to -be flattened and spread out transversely in said station, and a heating element at said bonding station disposed to apply bonding heat to a narrow longitudinal stripe only, extending along the path of said yarn on saidV roll for bonding the crimped filaments at points of crossover along said stripe with unbonded filaments lprojecting laterally on opposite sides of said stripe. Y

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a heated tubeA disposed along the path of said yarn in advance of said roll and adapted to relax the crimp in said yarn` prior to the passage of said yarn to said bonding station. 3. Apparatus as setforth in claim 1 in which said heating element comprises a fabric shield overlying the yarn yon said roll and -a hot Wire is disposed over said fabric shield for `applying. heat along a narrow path through said fabric shield to said yarn.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said wire extends beyond said roll and a weight is attached to the end ofsaid wire to hold it` in pressure engagement with said fabric shield and to hold said fabric shield in pressure engagement with said yarn.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said fabric shield carries va liner of low friction material in contact with said yarn.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claiml in which said heating elementcomprises a heated lroll having an annular flange adapted to contact said yarn along said stripe.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said heating element comprises a heated roll having la pair of spaced annular flanges adapted tocontact said yarn along a pair of longitudinal stripes as it advances along said first roll.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said bonding station includes -a nozzle disposed to apply a jet of bonding Huid to said yarn along Isaid stripe as the yarn advances on said roll.

References Cited by the Examiner EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

DAVID FARBER,` Examiner.

H. G. GARNER, H. F EPSTEIN, Assistant Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING A LIMITED STRETCH, BULKED YARN FROM A MULTIFILAMENT YARN COMPOSED OF CRIMPED CONTINUOUS FILAMENTS WHICH COMPRISES A ROLL DISPOSED TO FEED SAID YARN THROUGH A BONDING STATION, PRESSURE MEANS ENGAGING THE YARN ON SAID ROLL AND ADAPTED TO CAUSE THE YARN TO BE FLATTENED AND SPACED OUT TRANSVERSELY IN SAID STATION, AND A HEATING ELEMENTS AT SAID BONDING STATION DISPOSED TO APPLY BONDING HEAT TO A NORROW LONGITUDINAL STRIPE ONLU, EXTENDING ALONG THE PATH OF SAID YARN ON SAID ROLL OF BONDING THE CRIMPED FILAMENTS AT POINTS OF CROSS 